The destroyed contraband includes over six lakh bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor and 17,410 cases of beer.

A joint team of excise and police officials seized the consignment at four locations.

Guwahati:

The Assam government on Friday destroyed over six lakh bottles of illegal liquor and beer valued at Rs 168.55 crore with Excise Minister Parimal Shuklabaidya crushing these under a roadroller. The Excise Department had seized the liquor in the state in 2016.

The destroyed contraband includes over six lakh bottles of Indian Made Foreign Liquor and 17,410 cases of beer.

A joint team of excise and police officials seized the consignment at four locations in Khatkhati in Karbi Anglong district while efforts to transport these to Guwahati by 14 trucks were on. Police had arrested 13 persons, all of whom have been charge-sheeted.

"After a green signal from the court, we destroyed the illegal consignment in public in Gorchuk area to send a strong message to those involved in the supply and transportation of illegal liquor," the minister said.

According to state records, 39,085 litres of foreign liquor is sold daily on an average in Assam. There are 1,448 licensed wine shops that sell IMFL across the state.